Trouble priest Christopher Reeve gets more than he bargained for when he listens to a confession by a man who reveals that he has been committing murder, and the victims are adding up. The film suggests that the man has a demonic possession and has been targeting certain types of parishioners and may have a prominent position within the church. The viewer finds out early on who is responsible, and the film focuses on a targeted family of a struggling mother and her two daughters, one of whom Reeve is attempting to help through her disbelief and Christian doctrine. This TV movie is not an easy one to get into or to like, dealing with issues that are far too involved in the dark arts and thus might upset some viewers. Reeve is good, but his character is very troubled spiritually and other characters in the film are rather unpleasant and difficult to feel any sympathy for. This is not a horror film, but a dark psychological thriller that unfortunately just left me cold.
Add a Review
-
nicholas.rhodes20 November 2002This is an excellent film with all the ingredients for an hour and a half of nervous tension - beautiful girls, a handsome (if scarred) priest, enormous churches, fairground music etc etc .......... not to mention the terrifying face of the killer. In many ways it is related to Hitckcock's "I Confess" ( also an excellent film in its own right and with beautiful music ) but this killer is more perverted and more devious than that of Hitchcock and continued to kill in a religous manner. We do have course have the same dilemma as that of Montgomery Clift in that a priest is not allowed to divulge what has been said to him in the confessionnal. As a catholic I understand this, even though it is frustrating that Christopher Reeves "won't tell" so to speak. Anyway, suspense is maintained throught the film and it all works out quite cleverly so that Reeve is not confronted with the situation where he must spill the beans. The police are obviouly very pragmatic and materialistic and they have difficulty coming to grips with the spiritual problem involved. There are also one or two "decoys" such as the priest's colleage who also uses a respiratory device like that of the killer. The finale of the film is magnificient and worth any of those used by Hitchcock. In fact I would bet my bottom euro that the film director must be a great fan of Hitchcock. When oh when will this be issued on DVD ???????????????
-
sol-kay19 August 2009***SPOILER ALERT*** In the film "Mortal Sins" we not only have a top-rate murder mystery thriller but also get to see the late Christopher Reeves, playing Father Thomas Cusack, with a beaut of a shiner,that he got in breaking up a fight in the Church's mens-room,throughout almost the entire movie. New at his job as the priest at St. Mary's Catholic Church Father Thomas hit it off big with the younger set with his both openness and sincerity in dealing with their pressing problems in growing up as Catholics in a more or less anything goes society.
During confession Father Thomas was hit with a very disturbing admission from one of his parishioners in that he committed a murdered and wants to be forgiven for it! Not at first taking the "murder confession" seriously Father Thomas is shocked to find out the next day in the local newspaper that the person whom the unidentified confessor said he murdered was not the mindless boasting of a sick and disturbed person-crying out for help-but the real thing! Things get even more shocking- for Father Thomas- when it's reported that the murder victim was giving the last rites, in a very elaborate Catholic ceremony, by the deranged killer just before he stabbed her to death!
Convinced that the killer is either an ex-Catholic Priest or someone very knowledgeable with Catholic Chuch tradition Father Thomas goes out on his own to prevent him from committing more killings. This soon causes Father Thomas to get himself involved with a another ritual-style murder in trying to prevent the unknown killer from murdering his next victim! A person that the killer confessed to murdering-before she was found-to Father Thomas during another confession session at his church!
Doing his own investigating Father Thomas soon comes up with a suspect in this rash of some half dozen murders in the name of the church but is prevented by the sacrament of the church confession booth to tell the police who he is. This has the killer have a free hand in his insane attempt to cleanse the world or better yet his future victims of the "evil" that's lurking inside of them! Walking a tight rope between church religious tradition and common law Father Thomas is now forced to use himself as bait in drawing the killer out as well as, by Father Thomas being a suspect in his murders, having the police shadow him in the hopes they'll catch the killer before he gets to Father Thomas!
Very much like the 1953 Alfred Hitchcock murder-suspense classic "I Confess" the film "Mortal Sins" brings out the moral dilemma of how a Catholic Priest is handcuffed in not being able to reveal to the police a murderer who confesses his crime to him. Where the movie goes even a step farther, then in "I Confess", is that in it the killer doesn't only confess his past crimes but his future ones as well! This all drives Father Thomas almost over the edge in trying to stop them without giving away to the police just who, whom Father Thomas had since found out, the killer really is! In him hoping that the police are able to find that out all by themselves even if it leads to Father Thomas becoming the killer's next murder victim! -
Movie Nuttball21 February 2003Christopher Reeve was excellent! This film is really Entertaining and you really never find out who the killer is until near the end. Reeve is such a good actor. Fans of Reeve, if you haven't seen Mortal Sins then do because its a good movie!
-
chickendye2 June 2005I have never seen a role more appropriate than this one for Christopher Reeve. It seems as though he was born to play Father Cusack. He delivers a powerful performance in this testimonial. Also, Greg Martinelli and Dennis Paoli offer a gripping story full of plot twists and turns that leave you reeling. The dialogue is flavorful and fresh, reminding viewers of the reality and humanity of the characters. With outstanding plot devices and symbolism, these writers really make life easy for Reeve, Guinan, McMillan, and Allen. The brilliantly crafted screenplay and top notch showings of the aforementioned more than make up for a lackluster if not stolid acting performance by Roxann Dawson, or Roxann Biggs, or whatever she goes by these days. Still, she finds herself unable to bring down this pearl amongst clam shells in a saturated film market. Bravo, and I can't wait for the next collaboration from Martinelli and Paoli.